Friday, 1 May 2009

I’ve started lots of things I’ve never got around to finishing. Sometimes I’m not sure why. Procrastination strikes again! Maybe the project wasn’t turning out as well as I expected or something else came along I needed to do. Possibly I just got bored with it.

However when I look at this crochet runner pattern, how long did I think it would take me? I couldn't have finished it in a month of Sundays! Just look at it! What the devil possessed me to even think about it? All those little circles, dozens and dozens of them. It must have been a mental abberation! And I'm usually quite a practical person.

Another thing the cotton was thin, very thin and the crochet hook I had to use was so thin it was like a needle. Into the bargain I was working full time so when on earth was I going to have time to do it? Well I didn’t!

It has lain in the cupboard for over five years and I came across it when I was going through the stuff in the black hole (cupboard under the stairs) this week. Trying to get a bit of tidying done. Well that's what I was telling myself. To be honest nearly all of it just got shoved back in again.

I think I remember what put me off finishing this was I couldn’t grasp how the bits were fastened together. Normally when you crochet, you link the pieces as you go. I had managed to put some bits together but there were lots of loose pieces.

What I found in the black hole!

As part of my current attempt to do things I’ve put off for years and finish things I’ve started, I decided to have another go at this. I had another look at the pattern to try to figure out how the pieces linked. I’ve done a bit of Irish crochet in the past and had no problems with it. However it was no good, I still couldn’t understand it. I decided to just stitch the bits together and see what it looked like. If it was rubbish I’d scrap the whole thing.

Well here it is and it looks OK after a good pressing. However its sods law that I've hit a couple of problems!

Current State of Play

First, I’ve only completed four crosses and fillings. The pattern has twelve crosses and zillions of little circle fillings! Think I’ll be realistic and just go for eight crosses. Which means I'm halfway there.

Second, for some reason best known to the crochet fairy, the next cross I made was a lot smaller than the others. *?@&** I'm using the same crochet hook and the same thread so what the heck is going on I don't know. I'll have to try another and see what that turns out like. If it's as small as the last one it won't fit the four I've already done. I'll have to settle for a small square with four crosses. That would mean I've already finished!

If I ever finish the eight crosses, I’ll show you. One thing I know is, I’ll never again attempt anything like this.